Green (Chelonia mydas)

Stranding Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Arrival Date: 7/3/25
Age: Juvenile
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 7.08 kg (15.6 lbs)

Case History

This juvenile green turtle was hooked by a fisherman on the Apache Pier in Myrtle Beach and transported to the Aquarium by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) volunteers and staff.

Treatment

Upon arrival, Orchid was quiet, alert and responsive. We began with bloodwork and radiographs to assess the location of the fishhook and Orchid’s overall health. Luckily, her/his bloodwork was within normal limits! Radiographs showed there were two hooks and both were located in the mouth! As we began prepping for the hook removal procedure, we did a comprehensive physical exam. Although Orchid was in good body condition, s/he had a lot of built-up gas in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and a large number of leeches on the back end of the body. We lightly sedated Orchid for the hook removal procedure, and while s/he was under sedation we made sure to gently remove all of the leeches. Luckily, both of the fishhooks were small and stuck in the cheek and tongue. We were able to remove both quickly and successfully. After waking up from sedation, Orchid was placed in a half full tank of water so we could assess her/his bouyancy. As suspected, Orchid’s GI gas was causing her/him to float, but s/he was active, swimming well and able to take good breaths. We also witnessed her/him resting at the surface calmly, so we felt comfortable leaving Orchid in water overnight.

Updates

July 4, 2025: The next day we came in to quite the accumulation of fecal material from Orchid! This is great news because it means that her/his GI is moving successfully and Orchid should be able to pass the gas that is causing buoyancy issues.

July 30, 2025: Orchid was released into the protected saltmarsh alongside Hibiscus, Iris, Bluebonnet and Tulip! Good luck out in the big blue!